Shovel



r Dec. 8, 1936. M. w. WASHINGTON SHOVEL Filed Feb. 3, 1936 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The invention relates to a shovel and more especially to a pressed steel shovel.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a shovel of this character, wherein the same is materially braced and reinforced to avoid the breaking thereof at the juncture of the shank for the handle with the body of the shovel and also to eliminate the breaking down of the back of the shovel by buckling so that the said shovel will withstand severe usage.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a shovel of this character, wherein the shank for the handle is reinforced next to the body of the shovel and particularly at the fulcrum area of said body so that the said shovel is assured of increased life and wear.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a shovel of this character, which is simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and efficient in its purposes, comparatively light in weight yet strong and durable, and inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses the preferred embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of the shovel constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the bracing medium for the shovel.

Figure 6 is a plan view thereof.

Figure 7 is a rear end elevation.

Figure 8 is a sectional view on the line 88 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the shovel 0 comprises a blade or body I0 stamped or otherwise formed from sheet metal, preferably sheet steel, having a raised substantially heart-shaped frog fitting the portion II at the heel end of the said blade, the said portion being of inverted substantially V-shape in cross section and has integrally formed therewith a shank I2 which is split tubular in form, the split line being indicated at I3. Accommodated within the shank I2 is the lowermost end of a handle (not shown). The split I3 spreads apart at the lower end thereof as at I4.

The hollow side of the portion II opens through the bottom face of the shovel blade I0 and fitted within this open side is a frog I5, it being correspondingly shaped to the portion II and is formed with a tongue I6 accommodated within the spread portion I4 of the split I3 while integral with the frog at the longitudinal center thereof is a bracing extension or arm II, it being carried upwardly through the shank I2 for a distance thereof and the rearmost edge of this extension or arm I8 is accommodated in a notch I9 formed with the split I3 in the shank I2. The frog I5 is joined with the blade III by welding or otherwise for the uniting of this frog therewith and also the extension or arm H with the shank I2, the portion II of the blade I0 being in straddling relation to the extension or arm H as is clearly shown in Figure 4 of the drawing. In this manner the blade at the juncture of the shank I2 therewith is materially reinforced and this area, namely the heel end, being the fulcrum point for the blade II] when handling the shovel.

It should be apparent from Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the drawing that the blade and shank of the shovel are materially reinforced at the location where the greatest strain occurs under severe usage of the shovel.

What is claimed is:

A shovel of the kind described comprising a blade having a split tubular shank for a handle,

' a raised portion formed in the blade at the longitudinal median and at its heel, a frog fitting the raised portion and having an extension carried into the tubular shank, the said frog and raised portion being integrally united, and a tongue formed on the frog and fitting the split in the said shank, the said split in the shank being spread to accommodate the tongue and the shank being provided with a notch accommodating the rearmost edge of said extension.

MATTHEW WILLIAM WASHINGTON. 

